Welcome to the 24th installment of our blog series “My Path to Google.” These are real stories from Googlers, interns, and alumni highlighting how they got to Google, what their roles are like, and even some tips on how to prepare for interviews.

Today’s post is all about Satyaki Upadhyay. Read on!

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I grew up in Kolkata and Navi Mumbai in India and graduated from Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani with a degree in Computer Science.

I like math and algorithms. When I'm not working, I would most probably be taking part in some type of programming contest. I love watching and playing football and listening to progressive rock music!

What’s your role at Google?
I am a software engineer working on Google Maps. And I am also involved in Kickstart, Google's well-known programming contest that helps hire some of the best graduates from around the world.

What inspires you to come in every day?
It's definitely the free food and massages. :)

On a serious note, my peers are absolutely fantastic and I get to work on an incredible product that affects millions of lives across the world.

Can you tell us about your decision to enter the process?
I had always wanted to work for Google, even since college. I worked for a year at Directi in India and learnt a lot there. After 15 months there, I felt that it was the right time to join Google. I got myself an interview call, had some challenging interview rounds, and I made it! :D

How did the recruitment process go for you?
The recruitment process was a lot of fun. The questions asked were of a very high standard and I had an exciting time solving them (with hints from the interviewer, of course :)). I was worried initially that I might mess up in the interviews, but as they kept happening and I was able to solve the problems, I grew more and more confident and each interview turned out to be a discussion with my interviewer, rather than a typical "question-answer" round.

What do you wish you’d known when you started the process?
That it's not always necessary to arrive at the correct answer. Your thought process is what you are judged on and that it's almost as important to have soft skills as it is to have technical skills.

Can you tell us about the resources you used to prepare for your interview or role?
I did not specifically prepare a lot for my algorithm interviews. I continued taking part in coding contests on Codeforces and Topcoder, and I was already familiar with most of the concepts. I looked at previous interview questions on Careercup on the last day. I also practiced previously asked problems from Kickstart which helped a lot in my preparation.

Do you have any tips you’d like to share with aspiring Googlers?
Don't be intimidated. Just head into the interview confident in yourself and your ability. Your interviewer is there to guide you through the round, and it will be a fun experience. :)